Tongue for shoes



M. HILGERT A TONGUE FOR SHOES Nov. 18, 1930.

Original Filed Feb, 15, 1923 INVENTOR comprising atongue embodying the present inventiomvparts being broken away and in- V v I e r bones-of the-leg above, the ankle oint 1n a Patented Nov. 18, 1930 1 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE,

IATHEW HILGERT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; LURELLA HARPER AND HAZEL M. WEISS ADMINISTBATRICES OFSAIDMATHEW I-I ILGERT, DECEASED TONGUE FOR SHOES Original application filed February 15, 1923, Serial No. 619,131. Divided and'this application filed.

November 23, 1927.

This invention relates to tongues for use in shoes, and particularly for use in orthopedic shoes, that is, shoes which, by their features of construction, are designed to correct weakness and deformity of the lower limbs or feet from any cause. My novel shoe tongue is herein illustrated as embodied in a shoe of the type disclosed in my application Serial No. 619,131, filed February 15, 1923, of which this application is a division.

Objects of this invention are to provide a novel shoe tongue construction by which the lateral bending of the ankle joint, and'hence the position of the leg bones, may be controlled. V V 7 Features of the invention consist in ,a special construction of shoe tongue which may, as illustrated, comprise a tongue which is wide as compared with the usual shoe tongue and is shaped to the transverse and longitudinalcurvatures of the front surface of the tibia andinstep and is stiffened against bending laterally. of the foot. When such a tongue is clamped to thefront surface of the tibia and to the outer surface ofthe scaphoid, cuneiform and other tarsal bones forming the instep, by the shoe lacing, the tongue, by reason of its inherent stiffness laterally of the foot, establishes a firm rela tion between the foot and the tibia, so that the position of the tibia, and hence of the knee and hip joints,,is controlled by the foot. Thus, if the knee tends to bend inwardly, the pressure of the .sole on the ground acts through the stifiened tongue to throw it outwardly, and conversely, if the knee. tends to bend. outwardly, it is thrown inwardly to its normal position.

In the drawings, 7 Fig. 1 is a side view of an orthopedic shoe section; c Fig. 2 1s a transverse. section of the shoe tongue shown in Fig.1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective and sectional view of the fore-part of the shoe shown in Fig. 1

having a construction in connection with which the novel shoe tongue (30118171110131011'01E- the present invention may be-utilized.

Serial No. 235,198. v 1

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings is-illustrated the novel construction of shoe tonguewhich is asfollowszThe tongue consists of an-outer layer lO of upper leather and an inner layer 12 of fabric such as canvas or the like. These layers extend beneath the vamp at the throat of the shoe andare securedtov the upper by-the usual vamp seam. The layerslO and 12' are preferably sewed together 7 by a seam 14 about their peripheries to-form a pocket or enclosure for stifiening members 1 located between them.

I These members comprisea wide, stiff piece 16 of material, for example sole leather, skived to a thin edge at each side and'at its lower end, and a tempered steel strip 18 arranged outside the leatherpiece l6 and se-' cured to it by rivets '20, the widthwise dimension of the strip extending transve'rsely of the shoe. The layers 10 and 12 of the tongue and the piece'16 are wide as compared with the ordinary shoe tongue and are'shaped-to conform laterally and longitudinally to-the front arch of the leg and instep', that-is, to

the shape of the front surfaceof the tibia,

scaphoid and other tarsal bones, so'asfirmly to grip them when the shoe is laced up. This construction renders the lateral stifiness of the resilient strip 18 eifectiveto control the position of the bones of the leg Icy stiffening the ankle'joint laterally'of the-foot, V On a the innerside of the sole leather piece 16 isja thick-pad of felt 22 the thickness-of which may be varied to suit diiferent foot requirementsand to vary the apparentheight'ofthe instep. On the inner sideofithe layer 10 is a thin pad or felt 24 to protect it from the steel piece 18 and' rivets 20.; The stiffened tongue construction described operates to prevent lateral bending of the ankle joint and thus causes the pressure of the-foot upon the ground to control'the position of the very eflective mannerfor correcting abnormal cond1t1ons" of the lower llmbs.

The above-described'tongue construction is of special utility when employed in shoes having means for correcting -unbalanced muscular foot conditions such as a' filler ofthe type disclosed inmy prior Letters Paten the United States No. 1,039,396, granted September 24, 1912, and made by the method disclosed in my prior Letters Patent N 0.

1,032,672, granted July 16, 1912. It is to be I understood, however, that the shoe tongue of the present invention, though illustrated in a shoe having this filler, is not limited to such use.' I

Such a filler, as shown at26 in Fig. 3, consists of a false insole which is thickened on 1 one side or the other, depending upon the muscular condition of the foot for which it is V intended, to support one side of the foot and relieve abnormal strain upon the ligaments of the foot. The upper or inner surface of the filler 26 is preferably contoured to fit the bottom of the foot, and the lower or outer face is shaped to fit theinside tread of the shoe,

the thickness of the filler being varied trans- In testimony whereof I have, signed my: name to this specification.

- MATHEW 'HILGERT.

versely to overcome any tendency of the foot to roll transversely to one side or the other. This filler 26 restores the normal balance of the foot and my novel shoe tongue, when embodied in a shoe having this filler, laterally stiifens the ankle joint and causes the pressure of the foot upon the ground to control the action of the bones and joints of the leg above, the ankle so that the wearer can walk ina natural manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A tongue for shoes having a stiffener comprising a sole leather base and a thin metallic strip secured to the outer side of the base by through-andthrough 'fastenings and disposed so as to stiffen the tongue against bendinglaterally of the shoe. 7

2. A tongue for shoes having a siffener comprising a wide sole leather base molded to fit the transverse arch of the ankle and instep, and a steel spring secured to thesole leather base. e V

3. A tongue for-shoes comprising an outer layer of upper leather, an inner layer or lining secured to the outer layer about its periphery to form a pocket, and a transversely curved, laterally stilt, resilient member 10- cated in said pocket, said tongue being constructed and; arranged to beheld by the shoe lacing against the instep of the foot and the front of the tibiato controllateral bending of the ankle joint.

4. A tongue for shoes comprising an outer I layerwof upper material, a lining, a leather stifiener, a steelstrip secured .to theouter side of the stiffener, and a layer of felt between the lining and the stiffener.

5. A tongue for shoes comprising an outer layer, an inner layer, a stiffener between said layers composed of leather,a steel strip outside the vleather and secured thereto, and

padding between the lining and the leather of the stiffener and between the strip and the outer layer. 

